We Aren't Pretending Anymore
by AriandEzra
Summary: Years after Pretty Little Liars wraps, Ian Harding's feelings haven't gone away. Will a run in with Lucy change things? ONESHOT.


**Before I start, I want to say that in no way am I affiliated with Lucy, Ian, or Pretty Little Liars. This is purely for my own enjoyment. I'm not saying it's going to happen nor it is already happening, but these two would be an adorable couple! Okay, grab your tissues or something.**

**I posted this over the summer, but with the shit going on now, I decided it's time for my Lucian fanfics to make a comeback. **

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><p>Barnes and Nobles felt like a safe haven. You'd think that after 3 years, people would've calmed down about "Ezra Fitz", but it had only gotten worse. I walked past the teen section on my way to the literature section, pulling my hood on and my sunglasses around my face.<p>

It was everywhere though. The books, the DVD's. The girls face's were now plastered onto the cover of the teenage chick-lits. They no longer used the models on the front.

"Pretty Little Liars" had been a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it helped me climb in my career; something I've wanted since graduating college, and a curse because of her. My dream girl. The unattainable one.

It was hard enough when we were filming to keep how much I loved her to myself. Our character's stayed together the entire series, only allowing our connection to grow, as did my attraction and later love. We never got as far as our screen kisses though. She wouldn't allow anything to happen, saying, "He's like my older brother." She never opened her mind, which was just a reflection of how stubborn she was. But, no matter how stubborn she was, she was still perfect. For me, anyways.

What pained me the most was that, she was no longer in my life anymore. She was just some far off picture on a magazine cover. We drifted after the show wrapped, her going onto movies, a few episodes of Glee, and now in a Broadway show. I dabbled in a few movies, some TV pilots, and now beginning to start work in a play here in New York as well.

The very thought of being in the same city once again drove me crazy. I kept hoping to see her on the streets, even going as far as wishing on stars at night. I missed the way her eyes would light up when she laughed, the way her hair curled, the way she smiled. I even missed the baby talk she used to give me while on set.

_"Look at the wittle sweepy boy." She came closer to my makeshift bed with her iPhone in hand. She always did this; snuck up on my while I was sleeping or almost asleep._

_"Mhmm," I uttered through my closed lips and she jumped back laughing. _

_"Oh, you're awake," she said with a laugh, but continued to film me anyway. Not that I didn't want her to stop. Any attention from her made my heart swell._

I quickly took out my phone, and scrolled though to see her number. My finger hovered above the call key, but I refrained from pressing it. It'd be too weird. She'd probably think, _Why would Ian be calling me after 3 years?_

I shoved the Blackberry back into my pocket and continued to the book section I was coming for. My mind drifted back to her, as it always did. I remembered the time she went though this horrible break up. She was with this guy, I forget his name, not that it matters much, and although she wouldn't reveal a lot, she was heartbroken deep down. She'd put on a brave face, but I could tell she was hurting.

I always had wanted to console her, and tell her everything would be okay, but I never did. I wonder why though. _It what "big brothers" do, right, _I thought to myself wryly.

After a few minutes, I had successfully found the book I was looking for without and disruption of a gaggle of girls screaming, "Look, it's Ian Harding!" I heard a light humming from the end of the aisle. The voice sounded familiar, like something I'd heard a while ago and maybe in my dreams. I looked down to see a short brunette with wide set eyes. She had a burgundy beret perched on her head and her hazel eyes were studying the back cover of the book.

My heart stopped beating for a second and then sped up erratically. My palms began to sweat and the large book I was holding fell from my hands and landed with a smack. It couldn't be her, could it?

"Is everything oka-," the brunette turned to me and a smile graced her face. It was her. "Ian? Is that you?"

I spread out my arms. "The one and only," I said with a nervous smile. Lucy came over and wrapped her small arms around my torso.

"It's so good to see you," she said, pulling back. I let my arms rest on the small of her back, and she didn't really seem to care. After all, we spent almost 4 years together as a TV couple. There was something different in her eyes though. The way she was looking at me…it was different.

"I missed you, Luce," I said, hugging her again. "How's in been on Broadway?" She pulled away from the hug, almost reluctantly and picked up my fallen book, handing it to me. Our fingers brushed, causing the sparks that were always there for tickle my hands. I missed that feeling. Lucy may have felt it too, because she was smiling.

"It's been good. Tiring, but rewarding, you know?" We walked side by side, me resisting to grab her hand.

"I know the feeling. I'm about to start a play here in New York. Rehearsals have been intense. This is my only free day," I said with a sigh.

"Really? Mine too. It looks like we'll be seeing more of each other then," she said with another smile. We made small talk about the past three years as I paid for my book.

"Hey, you wanna sit down at their café," Lucy said, motioning to the Barnes and Nobles café area. "I'm not ready to let you escape quiet yet." She laughed lightly and I relished the sound in my ears.

"Sure, it's been too long," I replied and beamed down at her. "Lead the way." I swept my hand across and in the direction of the café and she giggled.

"I forgot about what a dork you are," she laughed and then contorted her lips into a smirk. I stared at her lips for a few seconds too long, missing them on mine, even if it had just been for "Aria and Ezra".

"I—I am not a dork," I sputtered, finally able to speak.

Lucy shook her head with a smile. "Yes you are, but you're my dork." Her eye widened more than usual as we sat down. "I didn't say that...I mean, of course I did, but...," she trailed off, trying to find the correct words to say. "I think, what I'm trying to say is…I missed you. A lot. More than I should have."

I arched an eyebrow and my heart sped up faster than it's already erratic pulse. "What are you trying to say?" I folded my hands on the table and looked at her curiously. Lucy turned her head away from me and whispered so low that only I could hear faintly, "I don't know."

She cleared her throat and began to speak. "Ian, did you ever feel that towards the end of the show…We…us…our relationship took a different turn?" She looked down at her hands, unsure for a second and then placed her hands on top of my folding ones, uncurling them so she was holding mine in hers. I looked down at our entwined hands, blinking a few times. Was this actually happening?

"What do you mean by turn?"

"I mean, when things started to feel…," she paused, "un-platonic."

"Things were always platonic between us, Luce. You never let it get anywhere farther than that," I said with a sad note to my voice and her eyes softened.

"But, did you ever feel differently? More, I don't know, romantic? Because, and I'll admit it now, before we ended I began to feel…differently about you."

I took a deep intake of breath and squeezed her hands, looking up at her. She looked back at me, with hopefulness in her eyes. "I'm just going to be honest. Lucy, I've loved you since we began the second season. No matter how many times you said I was like your older brother, I still loved you. Just being near you was enough for me. I could go on and on about how I felt, but I'd just sound sappy and I…"

"Damn, Ian. I think Ezra's babbling rubbed off on you," she said with a laugh. I looked at her expectantly, half afraid that she'd reject my declaration and half excited to hear what would come from her lips next. "I've…I think I've loved you for awhile now. I wasn't sure about it, but I know that the past few years without you have been hell and now seeing you again brought it all back to me. I love you."

My entire face lit up and I stood up from the table to where she sat. Lucy stood up and wrapped her arms around me, resting her face on my chest. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that," I murmured into her hair.

"So," she said looking up at me. "This is usually where they would write in a kiss for Ezria," she laughed using the nickname for our old TV couple.

"But we aren't them, are we," I asked, brushing back a piece of her hair.

"Nope, but come on. Just kiss me already," she pleaded and I gave in, bringing my lips down to meet hers. Only this time, the kiss felt sweeter. We weren't pretending anymore. This time, it was the real thing.


End file.
